Secrets
by Julie Ann Pope
Summary: Miss Hardbroom has a secret...


Miss Hardbroom slept as straight as she lived. The covers were pulled up neatly to her neck. She wrapped her arms around her middle and lay flat on her back. She was just dozing off when her bedroom door creaked. She gradually opened her eyes and turned over to see her night time visitor while her eyes grew accustomed to the darkness. She could make out the quivering shadow of Mildred Hubble in the doorway.   
  
"Mildred?!"  
  
"I'm sorry, I had a nightmare and I can't get back to sleep. Can I stay with you?" HB had never been the one that the girls went to with problems like this.   
  
"Why didn't you go to Miss Cackle, or Miss Drill, or even one of your friends?"   
  
"I'll go back to my room then..."   
  
"No, come on Mildred, I used to have quite a few nightmares myself you know." HB squeezed up to one end of the bed and opened up the covers for Mildred. She climbed in and held HB tightly. HB was a little surprised but eventually grew to like the comfort. As HB held Mildred in her arms she realized how much she liked it. She kissed Mildred on the forehead and settled down. She felt protective of her, and it felt strange but also natural.  
  
HB woke up first, as a dedicated deputy headmistress at Cackles Academy she was up before the dawn preparing lessons. The girls get up at around half past six in the morning while HB gets up around four in the morning. She was careful not to wake Mildred. She took a long hard look at the sleeping angel by her side before getting out of bed. She got herself washed and dressed and went to see Miss Cackle. Although Miss Cackle sometimes does not appreciate Miss Hardbroom's strict ways, she does provide emotional, adult support.   
  
"I just don't know what to do for the best, I never thought I could have feelings like this..." Miss Cackle thought carefully about Miss Hardbroom's predicament.  
  
"Does anyone else know that you're her..."   
  
"No, only you...and her parents" Miss Hardbroom sighed deeply,  
  
"I want to tell her, we've been getting on great and her grades have vastly improved, and that's why I've been so hard on her so that she can achieve well, I just don't want to spoil that, but last night..."  
  
"I understand, and she does have the right to know..."  
  
"Right to know what, and who?" said Miss Drill bursting through the door. Miss Cackle and Miss Hardbroom looked at each other knowingly. Miss Cackle could handle the situation.  
  
"Nothing Miss Drill, nothing at all" Miss Cackle gave Miss Hardbroom a nod who left. Miss Drill stood next to Miss Cackle baffled  
  
"Is she alright? I've never seen her like that before."  
  
"She's just got a lot on her mind at the moment" the cupboard doors creaked and Miss Batt stepped out.   
  
"I'm sorry, I overheard the whole thing." Miss Cackle was left in a confounding situation.   
  
Miss Hardbroom set to her duties and prepared that day's potion classes, fifth years first, first years second, free third, third years fourth and Mildred's class last. She sat behind her desk and shuffled some papers around, got up, moved her own personal potions, cleaned her desk and sat down again. She couldn't settle to anything. How would she react to Mildred the next time she saw her? What if she was with her friends? She began to write the lesson plan on the blackboard. Mildred walked in, dressed and ready for the day earlier than the other girls  
  
"Can I give you a hand Miss Hardbroom?" HB's heart skipped a beat, she turned round to face Mildred.   
  
"Yes, could you pass me those books from the back row" HB had decided to carry on as normal, although something was different, they were almost the best of friends. Mildred watched HB fascinated by her handwriting. HB turned round a few times and both smiled.   
  
Miss Cackle had decided to let Miss Drill and Miss Batt know exactly what Miss Hardbroom was worrying about. Miss Batt knew half the story and Miss Drill had no idea.   
  
"Miss Hardbroom has a secret, she has a daughter. She had to give her up as soon as she was born, she didn't know how to bring up a child and at the time it was very difficult for her. The child's father, a wizard, died before he even knew the child existed."  
  
"Oh that's sad" said Miss Drill  
  
"It is and the worst part, the child is in this school, and doesn't know..."   
  
"I hope you don't mind me asking..." interrupted Miss Drill "Who is the girl?"  
  
"I know, its Mildred Hubble isn't it?" said Miss Batt, Miss Cackle nodded.   
  
"Don't tell Miss Hardbroom that you know, she's contemplating telling Mildred herself soon and that's difficult enough"   
  
Behind the door Ethel Hallow and Drucilla were reveling in the latest gossip about Mildred Hubble. The girls had woken early and heard Mildred pottering about. As her arch enemies, Ethel and Drucilla kept a careful watch on her to use anything she does as a weapon against her. They wandered off and still giggling about the new evidence against Mildred they overheard Miss Hardbroom and Mildred chatting in the potion lab. They stopped to find out even more dirt.  
  
"I slept much better last night, thank-you Miss Hardbroom"  
  
"It was my pleasure, it can often get lonely on my own, and at least you don't snore!" they giggled together as HB continued with her work.  
  
"Mildred spending the night with Miss Hardbroom and giggling?" exclaimed Drucilla. The girls had plenty of ammunition now.  
  
The day passed by slowly for all. It was hot and sticky, the sun shone brightly and restlessness was in everyone. By fifth lesson no one felt like working hard, including HB. Ethel and Drucilla came in late, closely followed by a rattled Mildred. HB quizzed Ethel and Drucilla, who came up with some lame excuse about helping Miss Batt, who HB knew full well that they weren't. She let them sit down. She nodded to Mildred and let her sit down without explanation. Ethel and Drucilla looked at each other and further conspired under their breaths. About half way through the lesson in strict silence Ethel asked HB about her teaching.  
  
"Miss, why didn't you ask why Mildred was late?" It was unexpected and Mildred looked up from her work stunned. Her eyes pleaded with Miss Hardbroom to go easy on her.   
  
"Mildred told me where she was and that she'd be late"  
  
"Where was she then?"   
  
"Get back to work, there's only ten minutes left and then you can go outside." HB turned back to face the blackboard.  
  
"So it's got nothing to do with your little secret then?"  
  
"SILENCE!" Miss Hardbroom shouted, she didn't mean to, it just came out. Every girl kept her head down, except Mildred, she stared at HB mesmerized. She sharply put her head down and got back to work. It was a little under ten minutes when HB let them all go. Mildred stayed behind.   
  
"Are you alright Miss Hardbroom? What were Ethel and Drucilla talking about?"   
  
"Go outside Mildred, I just want to be alone for a while" Mildred walked away solemnly, turning back twice to check that Miss Hardbroom was alright. Mildred didn't know what it was but in such a short space of time she had gone from hating HB to being concerned for her. She actually quite liked her now, that's why she decided to visit Miss Cackle.   
  
"I'm sorry to bother you Miss Cackle, I wondered whether I could talk to you?"   
  
"Of course, sit down. what's troubling you?"  
  
"Well it's not me exactly, it's Miss Hardbroom, she's in a funny mood and Ethel and Drucilla said something about a secret and HB, Miss Hardbroom went really strange. Is she alright?" Miss Hardbroom appeared from nowhere using her usual magical style.   
  
"I'm perfectly alright, Mildred Hubble, just having a bad day that's all."   
  
"I don't believe you, I'm sorry Miss Cackle but she was happy this morning, and now she isn't. There is something wrong isn't there?"   
  
"Oh Mildred, you're even stubborn like me!" Miss Hardbroom sighed. This was it, she'd have to tell her now.   
  
"I do have a secret and when I tell you it won't be anymore. I have a child, a daughter." Mildred listened intently taking in every word Miss Hardbroom said.  
  
"I have kept her a secret because her father died before she was born and I couldn't cope with a baby. I'm still not very good with small children. So I had to give her away. I didn't want to but I knew that she'd have a better life. You have to understand that I never stopped thinking about her and every time it hurt so much." Miss Hardbroom's eyes began to swell with tears that had not been cried for years.   
  
"It's alright Miss Hardbroom, she'll understand, I'm sure she will"  
  
"Mildred, you're...very supporting. Thank you for listening" Miss Hardbroom almost told her, but she couldn't find the words.  
  
"No problem." Mildred skipped off to join her friends in the yard.   
  
"Why didn't you tell her?" asked Miss Cackle, trying her best to be helpful.  
  
"I don't know, I don't want to change things between us."  
  
"Maybe they'd change for the better if you told her the truth?"   
  
Mildred chatted to Maud and Enid, who couldn't understand why Mildred was talking to HB as though they were good friends.   
  
"I just think that she deserves a break, she is a good teacher."   
  
"I suppose so." said Maud in her emphatic way. Ethel passed the girls, closely followed by Drucilla.  
  
"You know, you remind me of someone..." Ethel said to Mildred, enjoying every minute of the torture  
  
"...I know, you remind me of Miss Hardbroom, don't you think so Drucilla?"   
  
"Oh yes, especially when you twitch your nose like that."  
  
"You're not related are you?" The girls walked off with huge smiles of satisfaction.   
  
"What was all that about?" asked Enid  
  
"I have no idea" said Mildred in curious thought.   
  
Miss Hardbroom paced Mildred Hubble's bedroom impatiently. Her cat "Tibbles" lazily lay on her bed amongst her bedclothes. HB heard Mildred outside and vanished. Mildred entered her room and greeted the cat. She sat down beside her and petted her gently. She drifted off into a world of her own. HB appeared out of nowhere behind Mildred and made her jump suddenly.   
  
"Oh Miss Hardbroom, you gave me a fright!"  
  
"Sorry Mildred, I...I wanted too talk to you"  
  
"Sure, I'm not in trouble am I?"  
  
"Of course not, it's about what I told you earlier, I didn't quite finish my story."  
  
"Didn't you?"  
  
"No, I forgot to tell you the most important thing." HB took a long hard look at the girls anticipated face. She could see herself as a young girl in her eyes. It was awkward, but she was doing the right thing. Wasn't she? HB breathed in deeply.   
  
"I'm...you're..."  
  
"I think I know...I have to meet the others, I'll see you later"   
  
"But Mildred?!..." Mildred held out her hand to HB. HB stood up and moved towards her. They hugged sharply and uncertainly, but it was enough to say all that needed to be said for the time being.   
  
Mildred Hubble was stunned, even though she did not appear to be, she was stunned. Miss Hardbroom had been the bane of her life, until a few days ago, and then things started to change. Mildred joined her friends and silently seated. Maud asked the obvious question.   
  
"Milly? Are you alright?" Mildred tried as hard as she could to cover what she was really feeling.   
  
"Yes, yes I'm fine." Maud knew that when Mildred was in a mood like this the best thing to do was to leave her alone and she'll get over it. Miss Hardbroom, on the other hand, showed her anger and confusion more forcefully. A storm was raging downstairs in the basement. She had conjured up the storm to stop people getting to her. But Miss Cackle fought her way through and asked HB if she was alright. The conversation between Maud and Mildred was exactly the same as the one between HB and Miss Cackle. But Miss Cackle proceeded to delve deeper into what had happened with Mildred.   
  
"I shouldn't have said anything at all." HB pleaded with Miss Cackle, "She wasn't ready to hear it, I wasn't ready for her reaction." HB sounded distressed and Cackle put an arm around her shoulder in comfort. "You did the right thing Constance, you did the right thing." The two women nodded with slight understanding and left the basement and cleared up the storm.   
  
Mildred was shifting impatiently from left to right foot, waiting for HB to get back to her room. Miss Hardbroom walked up to her, fixed her eyes to Mildred's eyes and turned the key in the door. Mildred stepped into HB's room behind her and closed the door silently.   
  
"About what you said, about me being...me being your..."  
  
"Daughter?"   
  
"Yes..." Mildred muttered under her breath. "Did you hate me? Did you ever want me?"   
  
"Ohh...Mildred...I always loved you...I still do." They both looked at each other, and for one moment, they both knew what the other was thinking and feeling.  
  
The End  
  
(for now) 


End file.
